Police probe crime links in Sydney ‘execution-style murder’

Police are hunting for multiple gunmen after a father was gunned down in front of his 12-year-old son in Sydney’s southwest.

Taha Sabbagh was shot dead in a car beside his son.

Detectives are hunting for multiple gunmen and investigating possible underworld connections to a father who was gunned down in an “execution-style murder” in front of his 12-year-old son in Sydney’s southwest on Thursday.

Shortly before 6.30am, at least one gunman opened fire on Taha Sabbagh – who was seated in his car with his son – outside the Elite Fight Force martial arts gym in the suburb of Sefton.

Mr Sabbagh, 40, died shortly after paramedics arrived at the scene, while police said his son was “uninjured” but deeply traumatised by the event after watching his father hit in a fusillade of bullets outside the popular gym.

Detective Superintendent Danny Doherty – who labelled the shooting as “callous” and “brazen” – told reporters on Thursday the murder resembled all the hallmarks of a gangland assassination, with homicide investigators already probing any potential links to Sydney’s criminal underworld.

“The nature of the shooting, the execution-style murder, the use of multiple shots, burning out the car, these are hallmarks of an organised crime murder,” he said.

However, Superintendent Doherty said there was no evidence to suggest Mr Sabbagh was linked to previous gang-related attacks and that the murder was being treated as an isolated event.

He added he did not believe the murder was related to the rise in NSW’s gangland murders, which has claimed more than a dozen lives in the past 18 months.

“He was not well known to the police. He was associated with some people who are well known to police and have strong criminal activity connected to them,” Superintendent Doherty said.

“The fact that the man’s 12-year-old son was in the car, we obviously believe this is an egregious, violent act. This is a poor kid whose father has been shot in front of him, it’s very traumatising for him and for his family.”

Police said the assailants were in a Mazda 3 when they carried out the shooting, with the same model vehicle located on fire by officers in Burrong, a nearby suburb in Sydney’s southwest.

Investigations are underway following the shooting in Carlingford St. Picture: NCA NewsWire

Firefighters extinguished the blaze and the vehicle is now the subject of forensic examination by homicide detectives.

It’s understood Mr Sabbagh, who worked as a luxury car chauffeur, was taking his son to a martial arts lesson at the gym before he was shot multiple times by shotgun in his black SUV, with his son in the passenger seat.

Witnesses reportedly told police they saw a gunman get out of the car and open fire, before jumping back into the vehicle with a waiting driver.

Hours after a crime scene was established, tensions escalated as a large group of people converged on the street, which included grieving family members, friends and onlookers.

Police said no one was injured in the aftermath, when onlookers and friends of the victim reportedly clashed on the street in several heated exchanges.

Tributes have since been shared online to the husband and father. “With great sadness and shock we announce our beloved brother Taha Sabbagh has returned to his Creator,” one Facebook post read. Police have appealed for dashcam vision.